


Day One: Robin Jason

by oathkeptroxas



Series: JayRoy Week 2016 [1]
Category: DCU (Comics)
Genre: Child Abandonment, Homelessness, Past Child Abuse, References To:, Underage Drug Use, childhood crush
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-03
Updated: 2016-11-03
Packaged: 2018-08-28 20:14:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,810
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8461450
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oathkeptroxas/pseuds/oathkeptroxas
Summary: The Titans came to the manor a lot, Alfred would make a pitcher of fresh lemonade and he’d lay a hand on Jason’s shoulder and ask if he wanted to help. The laughter echoed from the lounge and Jason felt suddenly lonely, even with Alfred right there beside him.(Little Jason having crushes on Dick's friends is cute.)





	

**Author's Note:**

> I'm hoping desperately to get back to my multi-chap after this week is complete! I've never done a ship week before, it's daunting.

The creak of the stairs had Jason’s eyes shooting open, alert and awake in a second. He sighed as he settled back down under his blanket, he knew it was just Dick, arriving back at the manor late after a Titans mission.

After living the way that Jason had done, every stray sound was a potential threat, he was a light sleeper by necessity, because anything that went bump in the night could be out to do him harm. He wasn’t yet accustomed to having a stable home, to having to share that living space. He was safe, and he had an older sibling who came home at all hours of the night.

One of the most difficult adjustments to make was the confrontation of his own youth. Jason was wiser than his years, had had to deal with circumstances that had thrust maturity upon him, he’d grown up too fast. He no longer saw himself as being a child, resented the implication that that was what he was. He was 12 years old and in theory he knew that was young, but he didn’t feel young. But children hadn’t been through what he’d been through and come out the other side.

To Bruce and Alfred and Dick, Jason was a child, couldn’t be anything else. A part of Jason hated it, the overbearing protectiveness that came with it, the implication that he couldn’t take care of himself, even though he knew that wasn’t what they meant. 

He hated being the annoying baby brother, he hated that Dick had so many cool friends - most of them older than Dick himself - and yet he was the pestering kid brother who loitered around corners and secretly wanted the big kids to let him join in. 

Dick was grown up and responsible and respected, he came home whenever he wanted and he led his own team and everybody loved him and Jason hated him a little bit for that. 

The Titans came to the manor a lot, Alfred would make a pitcher of fresh lemonade and he’d lay a hand on Jason’s shoulder and ask if he wanted to help. The laughter echoed from the lounge and Jason felt suddenly lonely, even with Alfred right there beside him.

Jason didn’t have any loyal friends, he was working so hard to catch up on his schooling now that Bruce had provided him with an education, and even though he certainly liked many of the kids in his class, he didn’t have the time to make friends; the double life he was leading as Robin just created another hurdle. He wished there were other sidekicks closer to his age, then maybe he could have a little group of his own, like Dick had. 

Out in the field he was Dick’s replacement, back at the manor he was Dick’s little brother. He was growing tired of living in the older boy’s shadow. Though he idolised Dick a whole lot, and the acrobat had done everything to be welcoming and attentive, it wasn’t enough to completely quell the waves of jealousy that came and went. It was what it was.

Dick’s friends were nice to him, but he couldn’t help but feel patronized. Donna would always give him a sweet smile, like she was indulging him, like she wanted to give him a hug. It made him feel like a baby. Garth was quiet, and Jason didn’t like that he couldn’t get a read on him. Wally was loud, and erratic and he’d ruffle Jason’s hair as he passed and call him Kiddo. Even though he knew that Dick’s best friend was just teasing him, it was irritating, made him feel about an inch tall. Then there was Roy...Roy Harper was definitely Jason’s favourite of Dick’s friends. Roy was the oldest of the five of them, he was tall with shaggy auburn hair that fell in his eyes. He would smirk at Jason in a soft kind of way, like he found him endearing, and for whatever reason, that expression didn’t look condescending on Roy’s face the way it did on others. Roy had a subtle smattering of freckles across the bridge of his nose, they weren’t obvious like Wally’s were. Jason thought they looked really cool. 

Roy had an air about him that set him apart from the others, he oozed cool and Jason wanted to sit beside him, he didn’t really understand the urge. He just wanted to be cool, too. But, Jason had no desire to appear as the clingy baby brother who tried to hang around with the big kids. But, observant as Jason was, he couldn’t miss the lingering glances that Dick and Roy shared, as if they knew something the others in their group didn’t. They deferred to each other a lot, without words. Jason didn’t understand the dynamic, or why it had a cold feeling settling in his gut.

Jason remembered taking a tray of sandwiches into Dick’s room to help out Alfred. Wally and Dick were engrossed in a videogame, they didn’t notice his arrival. Roy was slouched into a beanbag, his arms were folded across his chest and his fingers were tapping an absentminded beat against the worn denim of his jacket sleeve. 

Roy looked up and caught his eye and smiled. Before Jason could think to set the tray down Roy was there, he’d gotten up and he took the tray from between Jason’s hands.  
“Thanks, Jay. Tell Alfie he’s the best.” Roy smirked and dropped a wink. He knew Alfred hated to be called that. Jason couldn’t stifle his giggle, and a blush took over his features. That was another thing that Jason loved about Roy, he spoke to him like they were friends, let him in on jokes, didn’t treat him like he was a child. Jason knew realistically that Roy was just being nice, for Dick’s sake. Though Wally and Dick seemed the closest amongst the group, Jason knew that whatever was going on between Dick and Roy was somehow different entirely.

Not for the first time, Jason wished he was older, that he could be a Titan, that he and Roy could be real friends. With a little sigh and a dorky little wave to Roy (that he instantly regretted) Jason wandered back downstairs.

Jason always felt so out of sorts around Roy. He was so used to fending for himself and standing his ground and navigating high-pressure and potentially dangerous situations, yet whenever he tried to hold a conversation with the older boy he just got flustered and embarrassed. He didn’t understand it at all. Maybe one day he’d get over it.

As Jason’s thoughts drifted back to the present moment, he snuggled deeper into his bed, hoping to latch onto sleep once more. The sounds of movement drew nearer as Dick made his way to his own room, but as Jason listened carefully, he became aware of the fact that Dick wasn’t alone. Hushed voices and fumbled footsteps peaked Jason’s curiosity, and he waited for the noises to pass his door and reach the end of the hall, where Dick’s room was, before he kicked away his blanket and padded out into the corridor.

Silent as a church mouse, Jason approached Dick’s bedroom door, barely left open a crack. His eyes widened and he held back a gasp as he saw Dick and Roy sat side by side on the bed. 

Roy hadn’t been to the manor in weeks, ad though they barely spoke, Jason had missed him all the same. The digital clock on the nightstand declared the time as 2:00am, Bruce was most likely still in the cave, no doubt Alfred was beside him berating him about his lack of sleep. That explained why Jason hadn’t heard his mentor’s voice as he woke, Bruce certainly would not have let this slip by without comment. Dick never just brought his friends back in the middle of the night without forewarning. 

In the dim light of the lamp, Jason watched as Dick carefully moved forward to grip Roy’s chin and tilt his head up. Jason gasped, and quickly clasped his hands across his mouth. Thankfully, neither of the older boys heard him, any sound he’d made had been drowned out by Dick speaking. 

“I can’t believe he did this,” Dick murmured, he sounded sad but there was a steely quality to his tone that spoke of restrained anger.

“I deserved it,” Roy shrugged. Jason couldn’t take his eyes off of the large, dark bruising that marred Roy’s face, the way his eye was swollen a little, red around the edges, not fully open. 

Jason didn’t know who _he_ was, but he didn’t like knowing that someone had hit Roy. It was illogical. They were heroes, they got hurt all the time. But, Jason knew there was something more going on. A black eye didn’t explain why Roy was there, after all.

“Roy-” Dick started, his voice was soft, almost pleading, but Roy cut him off.

“Look, I’m sorry about this, it’s not a big deal really. I just didn’t wanna stay at Dinah’s anymore. I outstayed my welcome, she doesn’t know me too well, and I’m not her problem. It’s been nearly a week, I’m good. I just need a place to crash for tonight.” Roy sounded determined, like this whole situation didn’t really bother him.

Dick’s fingers moved over Roy’s cheekbone to cup his jaw a little more firmly. Dick’s eyes held careful appraisal and fondness. Their faces were close, their noses practically brushing. Roy’s eyes fluttered closed a little. Dick pulled back and gave Roy a hard stare.

“You know you can stay here as long as you need to. What about the other stuff?” 

Roy let out a long-suffering sigh and shrugged out of his jacket. His freckled arms were bared for examination as he presented them to Dick. Jason bit down on his lip to stop himself from whimpering. He knew what those marks were, what they meant. They’d been dotted all over his Mama for a long time, their origin revealed when he’d found her cold and the needle still inside. Jason felt the hot sting of tears behind his eyes. What if he lost Roy like he lost his Mama? 

Were the bruises on Roy’s face from a dealer? How had someone like Roy, a hero with friends and prospects, ended up in this? Jason felt like he couldn’t breathe, and Dick’s hands were holding Roy’s arms with care and concern and Jason didn’t understand why that hurt him in his chest.

He did the only thing he could think of, he ran. He dived back into his bed and tugged the blanket over his head. He clenched his eyes shut tightly and tried to pretend it was all just a horrid dream.


End file.
